Yuletide Proposal

Yuletide Proposal
Lois Richer

SMALL-TOWN REUNION Helping children in her hometown is a dream fulfilled for single mother Brianna Benson. But being back in Hope, New Mexico, isn’t easy for the medical clinic’s new child psychologist. Ten years ago, the night before her wedding, Brianna discovered that her fiancé, Zac Enders, betrayed her—and she left town in tears.Now a school administrator, Zac is asking for her help with kids at risk. Such as her own troubled son. But how can she work with the man who broke her heart? As Christmas approaches, the gift of reunited love is waiting to be unwrapped. Healing Hearts: Love is always the best medicine

Small-Town Reunion

Helping children in her hometown is a dream fulfilled for single mother Brianna Benson. But being back in Hope, New Mexico, isn’t easy for the medical clinic’s new child psychologist. Ten years ago, the night before her wedding, Brianna discovered that her fiancé, Zac Enders, betrayed her—and she left town in tears. Now a school administrator, Zac is asking for her help with kids at risk—such as her own troubled son. But how can she work with the man who broke her heart? As Christmas approaches, the gift of reunited love is waiting to be unwrapped.

“What’s your primary objection to working with me?” Zac asked.

“We have a past,” she said bluntly. “You must remember we seldom agreed on how things should be done.”

“I remember. And I remember we made it work anyway.” A crooked smile tipped his lips.

“Yes, well.” She coughed, searching for composure. “It simply wouldn’t work, Zac. I’m sorry.”

“You could make it work, Brianna. The past is over. There’s nothing between us now, after all these years. What happened when we were kids isn’t going to affect me now.”

His words stung, though they shouldn’t have.

Nothing between us after all these years.

Her fingers automatically rose to touch the chain that held the engagement ring he’d given her one Christmas Eve, hidden beneath the fabric of her blouse.

“Don’t say no, Brianna. Next weekend is Homecoming. It could be the kickoff for a new plan. Think about it until tomorrow. That would still leave us a week to plan something.”

“I’ll think about it.”

LOIS RICHER

began her travels the day she read her first book and realized that fiction provided an extraordinary adventure. Creating that adventure for others became her obsession. With millions of books in print, Lois continues to enjoy creating stories of joy and hope. She and her husband love to travel, which makes it easy to find the perfect setting for her next story. Lois would love to hear from you via www.loisricher.com (http://www.loisricher.com), loisricher@yahoo.com (http://loisricher@yahoo.com) or on Facebook.

Yuletide Proposal

Lois Richer

www.millsandboon.co.uk (http://www.millsandboon.co.uk)

O God, you have declared me perfect in your eyes.

—Psalms 4:1a

For Barry, with love and celebration

for 30 amazing years.

Contents

Chapter One (#udc2ed5ff-22bf-5490-80d5-cfc1c0fdb4c1)

Chapter Two (#u8ccad427-0aff-5281-9d8a-12a16d9fea2f)

Chapter Three (#ude6156f4-80be-5a86-8bf9-1a24cc5347c3)

Chapter Four (#u9b1ed99a-5d28-53d1-b91a-0e7542787025)

Chapter Five (#ub700853d-f5c4-55a7-9c1d-de633ded384f)

Chapter Six (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Seven (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Eight (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Nine (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Ten (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Eleven (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Twelve (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Thirteen (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Fourteen (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Fifteen (#litres_trial_promo)

Dear Reader (#litres_trial_promo)

Questions for Discussion (#litres_trial_promo)

Excerpt (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter One

“Hello, Brianna.”

The past ten years had been kind to her former fiancé.

Though Brianna Benson scrutinized Zac Ender’s lean, tanned face, she found no sign of aging to mar his classic good looks. Even more surprising, his espresso eyes still glowed at her with warmth in spite of their past.

“Good to see you,” Zac continued, inclining his head to one side, a smile flirting with lips that once, long ago, she’d kissed. He bent slightly to thrust out a hand, which she shook and quickly released.

“Good to see you, too,” Brianna replied.

Zac had always bemoaned his height because an incident in his childhood to his knee left him unable to play basketball. To extra tall Brianna, Zac’s height was an asset not often found among the boys she’d known in high school.

That was only one of the things she’d once loved about him.